Bracing tool for tennis-racket frames



uwmron JlexanderBJfarris ATTORNEYS Filed July 9, 1924 A B HARRIS BRACING TOOL FOR TENNIS RACKET FRAMES WITNESSES 'Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

tats-e1 ALEXANDER BARKLEY I-IAR-RIS, OE NEYV YORK, N. Y.

BRACING TOOL TENNIS-RACKET FRAlVIES.

7 Application filed July 9,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER P. IIARRIS, citizen oflthe United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Main hattan, in the county and State of New York, United States of America, have invented a new and Improved Bracing Tool for Tennis- Racket Frames, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has relation to tools and has particular reference to a tennis racket frame bracing tool which is employed for the purpose or stringing a racket. said tool being known to the trade as a billiard Some of the outstanding objects of the present invention are to provide a tennis racket frame bracing tool orbilliard which is so constructed as to render the same readily setor released with respectto the, frame; to provide a tool of this character. which is capable of being associated with the racket frame by a sing'le'workman; which isextremely simple yet strong and durable in its construction; which is highly efficient in its purpose, and which is inexpensive to manufacture and produce.

With the above recited and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction set forth in the following specification, particularlypointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the right is reserved to embodiments other than those actually illustrated herein to the fullextent indicated by the general meaning of the terms in which, the claims are expressed.

In the drawingsf Figure l is; a longitudinal sectional view, through a tennis racket with the tool in applied position and with parts of the samebroken away to disclose the underlying structure. i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary partially sectioned View of the tool when released. x

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tool removed from the rack.

Referring to the drawings by characters, of reference, A designates the handleofa tennis racket having the usualfraine B at one end and C designates generally the frame bracing tool or billiard. The tool C consists of a rod or shank 10, atone end of which is carried a rigid jaw 11 and the opposite end ofwhich is threaded as at 12, said threads being cutaway longitudinally to provide a 1924. Serial No. 725,093.

hereafter set forth.v 1L movable jaw it is carried by the threaded end liland is provided with a bore for the receptionof the threaded end, which bore 15 is provided with a longitudinally flattened surface 16 whereby in applying the tool to the racket frame the flattened surfaces 13 and 16 will cooperate to prevent casual turning move ment of the movable jaw inorder to maintain the jaw 14 in an upwardly projecting position andin alinement with the fixed jaw 11. l i

In stringing tennis racket frames, it is'a known fact that in pulling the longitudinal flattened surface 13' for a purpose to be strings in place,"considerable force is e-:;-,

erted in a longitudinal direction on the racket frame so that the side portions of the frame were unduly spread apart or bulged. In order to limitthe spreading apartof the devised and the stationary and movable jaws 11 and 1a are inserted respectively within the 'medialportion of the opposite ends of the frame. In setting the tool in place, the

movable jaw after engagement is cantedslightly in a longitudinal direction so that the same is wedged or jammed against the threaded end-12 ofthe rod or shank 10: to set up a binding action which holds the same side portions of the racket the tool C is r in placer-against relative movement irrespec-" v 18 which is threaded on the outer end. of the shank 10 is forced into engagement with the bored portion of the movable jaw 14.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that an extremely simple, inexpensive, yet highly efficient tool for the purpose specil fied has been provided and it is to be understood that no limitation is made to the precise structural details.

I claim: p p l. A tool for bracing tennis racket frames when stringing the same, comprising a shank havinga stationary jaw member at one end, an apertured movable jaw member carried by the opposite end for relative adjustment toward and away from the stationary jaw member, said jaw members adapted for engagement respectively within the medial portions of the opposite ends of the frame and the apertnred portion of the movable jaw member adapted to be canted when engaged within the frame to frictionally bind upon the shank to retain itself in place, means for positively preventing rocking movement of the movable jaw member when the tool is in engaged position with the racket frame comprising threads on the free end ot the shank, and a nut disposed thereon at the inner side 01 the movable jaw member for advancement against the inner side thereof.

2. A tool for bracing tennis racket frames when stringing the same, comprising a shank having a stationary jaw member at one end, an apertnred movable jaw member carried by the opposite end for relative adjnstment toward and away from the stationary aw member, said jaw members adapted for engagement respectively within the medial portions oi. the opposite ends of the "frame and the apertnred portion of the movable jaw member adapted to be canted when engaged within the frame to frictionally'bind upon the shank to retain itself in place, means for positively preventing rocking movement of the movable jaw member when the tool is in engaged position with the racket frame comprising threads on the free end of the shank, a nut disposed thereon at the inner side of the movable aw member for advancement against the inner side thereof, and means for releasing the movable jaw member comprising a nut on the threaded portion of the shank positioned at the outer side of the movable jaw for movement thereagainst to rock the jaw to a position to release it from its binding position.

A tool for bracing tennis racket :tramcs when stringing the same, comprising a shank having a stationary jaw member at one end, an apertnred movable jaw member carried by the opposite end for relative adjustment toward and away from the stationary jaw member, said jaw members adapted for engagement respectively within the medial portions of the opposite ends of the frame and the apertnred portion of the movable jaw member adapted to be canted when engaged within the frame to friction ally bind upon the shank to retain itself in place, and interengageable means on the shank and movable aw member for preventing casual rotation of the movable jaw with respect thereto whereby to maintain said movable jaw in alinement with the station ary jaw.

st. A tool for bracing tennis racket frames when stringing the same, comprising a shank having a stationary jaw member at one end, an apertnred movable jaw member carried by the opposite endtor relative adjustment toward and away from the stationary jaw member, said jaw members adapted tor engagement respectively within "the medial portions of the opposite ends of the frame and the apertured portion of the movable jaw member adapted to be canted when. engaged within the frame to frictionally bind upon the shank to retain itself in place, and interengageable means on the shank and movable jaw member for preventing casual rotation of the movable jaw with respect thereto whereby to maintain said movable jaw in alinement with the stationary aw, said means consisting of a flattened face on the shank and a complementary fiattened face on the apertured portion of the movable jaw.

ALEXANDER BARKLEY HARRIS. 

